Light Bars LED Provide Effective Lighting

Dec 2, 2011 by admin

Providing effective lighting for a police or emergency vehicle has always been a primary need. Before electricity came along, lanterns were hung from hooks, which could swing dangerously as the carriage raced through cobbled streets. The lantern could always break and accidentally set the carriage on fire. Electricity remedied that situation, but then the issue shifted to an onboard power source, wiring for the incandescent lamps and having to replace the lamps every so often. As technology progressed through the 20th century, older designs gave way to more efficient techniques.

The one device that changed police lights forever was the light-emitting diode (LED). LEDs are small, compact, give off little heat, use little electricity and can last much longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. Specifically, LEDs last for 60,000 hours or six years if left on constantly for 24 hours a day. Their cost-effectiveness allows new designs of lights to be made. A popular design is the  light bar LED, which consists of rows of LEDs arranged into the shape of a rectangle. The resulting bar is encased in durable plastic and covered by a see-through plastic lens. Bars like these are extremely lightweight and easy to mount using suction cups or magnetic strips.

Some light bar designs run off of their own lithium batteries. This approach does not use any electricity from the car battery. The light bar can be customized to flash any pattern or series of patterns the police officer or emergency worker desires, since the LEDs are usually controlled by a small computer. Strobe, static flashing or some combination of the two are popular examples. Importantly, some light bars are almost completely flush against the vehicle, reducing air resistance and making them less noticeable. Light bars may be mounted inside the radiator of some vehicles, concealing them from prying eyes.

Small, compact light bars are popular with undercover police officers, off-duty emergency workers who are suddenly thrust into an accident or plainclothes detectives who need to make an arrest. With the flip of a switch, the light bars activate, sending powerful flashes of light beaming around for miles. They are impossible to miss or ignore, making the “Sorry, officer, I just didn’t see you” excuse much less palatable. LED light bars make the jobs of emergency workers, police officers and firefighters much easier. They easily get people’s attention, keeping onlookers and pedestrians safe and out of the way.

read more

Light Bar LED Designs

Dec 2, 2011 by admin

Police and other emergency lights have undergone transformations thanks to technological improvements over the years. Incandescent light bulbs can only take police cars so far. They give off too much heat, burn out very easily and use a lot of electricity. Even though incandescent bulbs are inexpensive to purchase, they are are expensive in terms of the energy they use. Old school assemblies consisted of stationary bulbs surrounded by rotating half-mirrors encased in colored plastic. The half-mirrors broke up the continuous light into pulses, creating the familiar flashes of red and blue light. This design worked well for decades.

The technological advance that gave birth to the light-emitting diode (LED) finally ended up replacing the incandescent bulb used for emergency vehicles. An LED lasts tens of thousands of hours longer than an incandescent bulb, up to 60,000 in some cases. If an LED bulb was left on for 24 hours a day, it would last six years before finally burning out. Since LED bulbs are rarely, if ever, left on for 24 hours each and every day, this means LED bulbs will actually last much longer than six years. Additionally, they give off little heat and produce the same amount of light with less electricity.

These features of LED bulbs allow new designs to be created such as light bars. These innovative designs are created by arranging LED bulbs into rows in the overall shape of a rectangle. The light bar can be made of solid rows stretching for the length of the bar or be broken up into multiple lights. No matter which is chosen, the bar generates an amazing light, very bright and extending far into the distance. The LED bulbs work like miniature spotlights when their light is focused on a specific point. Light bar LED designs have revolutionized how police lights work.

The cost-effectiveness of LED light bars make them a great investment for police departments. Since the light they generate is so bright, pedestrians and drivers can see them immediately. The light is impossible to ignore or miss. Police officers and other emergency workers can work in conditions of increased safety thanks to these lights which raise awareness of the workers’ presence. LED light bars help emergency workers concentrate on the task at hand which is saving and protecting people’s lives. LEDs have changed police lighting. As they spread into more police forces, additional officers will discover and benefit from their advantages.

read more